Barren
by luc1d-dream1ng
Summary: After 108 years of solitude, Edward finally finds his mate: newborn vampire, Bella, whose past makes it hard for her to trust him. Will their relationship persevere or will all efforts be in vain? E/B. ON HIATUS.
1. Chapter 1: Prologue:

**A/N:** Here's that new story I was talking about! Sorry it took so long. R/L started to suck a bit. Anyways, Updates for this story will be choppy. I have about three other chapters pre-written already, but I don't think I'll put them up soon. It all just depends on feedback AND if I have any free-time. Finals start next week :$

**WARNING(S):** This story includes sensitive themes related to rape and abuse. There is no graphic mentioning of the actual rape, per se, but the feelings included that are associated with rape and abuse in general are present. Please do read at your own risk! People 13 & up should be able to read this, because it's really not graphic whatsoever, in any aspects. If you're 13+ you will be able to handle it, because it's really not graphic at all.

**Disclaimer(s):** Stephenie Meyer owns Twilight. I own this plot.

**Dedication(s) for this chapter:** This prologue is dedicated to my insanely hilarious pen-pal: IceChocolateTammy. You rock, chica!

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><p><strong>~Prologue~<strong>

**EPOV (Edward's POV)**

_I wonder if Pete will ask me out tonight._

_What should I wear for prom? _

_Oh, shit, I totally bombed the Calculus test._

_Last night was amazing. I hope he's up for a repeat . . ._

Shuddering, I silently wondered why I had to suffer so.

It was bad enough that I was stuck in this lifeless existence, but to have to listen to people's thoughts just made it all the worse. I once again tried to tune out their annoying voices, to no avail.

_Crap, I think I left the flat-iron on. _

_Finals are coming up, and I haven't studied shit. I need to hit the books today. Note to self: tell Jessica that we'll have to postpone our after-school "activities" until I'm sure I won't flunk out. _

_Angela is so pretty. I wish she'd like me. _

The last thought made me grin; I recognized his inner voice, and it amused me a bit. Ben Chenney was probably the only guy in Forks High, or possibly in the entire world, who didn't think anything dirty about his particular "crush". He was a good kid; that much I could tell from his thoughts. Ben was enchanted with a quiet girl named Angela, and likewise. They both obsessed over the other in their minds constantly. They had no clue that they were both crazy about each other.

It was oddly sweet.

Just then, I heard Angela's thoughts pop into my mind. I focused solely on her voice, drowning out the irritating buzz of my fellow classmates.

_Oh, there's Ben! I hope he likes my new haircut. _She thought, seemingly worried.

"Hi there, Angela." I heard Ben say, his voice shaking with his nerves. I saw his face through her thoughts, and realized that she was near close to hyperventilating with excitement.

"Hi, Ben! What's up?" As I zoned into his head, I saw her shift her feet and tuck a stray strand of black hair behind her ear.

"Well, uh, I was just.. um, I was wondering if you're not doing anything this weekend… if you'd like to.." He turned red. Angela was basically jumping in place with excitement, but Ben mistook is for anxiousness.

"Never mind; sorry." He mumbled, somewhat dejectedly as he started the way back to his locker. A pale hand was suddenly on his elbow, urging him to turn around.

"Ben, you can tell me." Angela murmured softly.

"Would-you-go-out-with-me-this-weekend?" He blurted out, gulping loudly as the fear overtook his body. Through his mind, I saw that Angela was gaping at him, brown eyes wide, and a soft blush coating her cheeks. After a moment, she nodded excitedly.

"Yeah; I'd love to." She gushed. She took out a pen from her backpack, grabbed his palm and quickly scrawled out her number.

He was watching her with wide eyes; disbelieving and exquisitely happy.

"Give me a call with the details." She grinned, before she reached up and kissed his cheek, causing a red blush to coat her cheeks immediately, as she sprinted off.

As I focused once more on Ben's mind, I found that he was staring down at his palm, triumph sprawled out across his face. He grinned wildly, and suddenly stood up straighter, and marched in the direction of the parking lot, his thoughts consumed with the idea of him and lovely Angela Webber going on a date; hopefully the first of many.

I sighed, deciding that he deserved some privacy after having me invade such an intimate moment. As I walked in the direction of my car, cursing this awful, soulless existence once more.

Humans have it so easy.

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><p><strong>AN: **It's short. I know. It gets better. I promise. Next update will be on... I dunno. It all depends on how much feedback I get. If I get at least like, ten reviews, I'll update sooner. :) So, yep! Review, please.


	2. Chapter 2:

**A/N:** So, I got a few reviews for the prologue, and they made me very happy, so thanks for those! :) I am super excited for this story, and I am glad that so many of you seem to be sharing that excitement with me. You guys were telling me to update, so here we are!

This story will be entirely in Edward's POV. It won't be in multiple POVs because I plan to do a BPOV of this story if all goes well, so yeah. :) There might be outtakes in other POVs, but for now, it'll just be EPOV.

BTW: this one is another shortie at 1500 words! (:

**Warning(s): **This story includes sensitive subject related to rape and abuse. The action of rape/abuse itself is not presented, but the feelings and emotions that relate to them are. This is a fairly non-graphic story. However, I advise that you read at your own risk. If you're 13+, you can handle it, though.

**Disclaimer(s):** Stephenie Meyer owns all things Twilight-related. This plot, however, is entirely mine.

**Dedication(s):** This chapter is dedicated to all those lovely reviewers. Thanks so much for your support! It means the world to me.

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><p><strong>EPOV (Edward's POV)<strong>

It was it.

May 27th.

Graduation day.

In a few short minutes, I will officially be a high-school graduate.

For the billionth time.

"Angela Webber, please walk up the stage." The principal admonished. The room suddenly quieted down; their thoughts were all a whirlwind of worry and excitement; a direct contrast to the silence in the room.

Our valedictorian slowly rose from her chair and walked forth to the stage, until she stood in front of the principal. Mr. Crowley cleared his throat.

"And now, your valedictorian will say a few words." He swiftly handed the microphone to Angela, who took it with shaking hands.

"At first, when I found out I was chosen as valedictorian, I was ecstatic. I had worked my butt off my entire high-school career, and seeing that somebody realized that made me incredibly happy. After the glow wore off, though, I became nervous about everything; what I would say, what I would wear.. I hadn't a clue. And, now I realize that that's life." He sighed, somewhat shakily, yet her eyes were determined. All seniors were listening with rapt attention; focused solely on her. "Whenever we experience something for the first time, we do it without knowing how it's going to end up. We go in with our eyes closed and our hearts crossed, and we just hope that it all works out. I realize today that this applies to everything. We never know how our life is going to turn out. The world is full of mysteries and secrets and it's up to us to find the bravery to discover them. Now, we're headed to college. We're not just high-school students anymore. We're adults now. Young adults, but adults, nonetheless. Today, we mark the end of our high school days, but today, we begin the rest of our lives. Now, this doesn't mean that we can't make mistakes; of course not. As a matter a fact, now is the best time possible to make mistakes; to do something incredibly stupid, like getting a tattoo, or failing a test, and falling in love a hundred times, just because it feels right. And you're bound to make one or a thousand mistakes along the way, but that's life; nothing is permanent. And that's okay. Mistakes fruit wisdom. Everything happens for a reason, and you're bound to change your mind a lot of times throughout the rest of your life. And that's normal; because making mistakes is just a part of growing up. So make as many mistakes as you can, because when the time is right, you will eventually gain enough wisdom to appreciate making them."

We all erupted in cheers. I must admit, in all my years of high-school experience, I had never heard a lovelier speech.

The principal once again walked towards the podium, and shouted at us:

"And it is with that note that I pronounce that you, class of 2012, are now officially high-school graduates!"

And with that, caps were flying. Excited squeals and mothers sobbing with pride were in every corner you turned to. I felt a warm arm wrap around me, and I saw that Esme was grinning at me. My adopted siblings were all behind her in their yellow togas, as well.

"Congratulations, sweetie." She squealed, hugging me closer to her.

I sighed, wrapping my arms around her small body.

"Thanks, mom."

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><p>Alice had organized a silly post-graduation party in our home. Basically the entire student population of Forks High-school was present. Even those who did not graduate with us.<p>

I had gone downstairs for a couple of moments, and chatted with a couple of my classmates briefly, before holing up in my bedroom. I wasn't too enthusiastic about having to attend a party, much less one of this magnitude, but I didn't want to be considered antisocial. This led me to spend one hour downstairs; I would've stayed less but Alice would have never stopped whining to me about how "lame" I was.

I was now listening to music on my iPhone, trying to drown out both, the thoughts of all the people downstairs and the sound of the heavy, thudding bass of a song that was currently playing downstairs.

I decided to go out on a hunt. I wasn't really that thirsty, but it never hurt to be prepared.

There was suddenly a timid knock on my door. I paused, and over the drone of all the inane thoughts of the teenagers downstairs, I heard Carlisle's voice.

_Edward, may I please come in?_

"Yes."

The door opened, and then shut, and Carlisle walked in, hands in his pockets. His expression was the one he usually wore: thoughtful, with wistful reverence.

"Congratulations, graduate." He told me, walking closer to sit next to me on the leather couch.

"Thank you." I replied, unsure why he was here. He was blocking his thoughts, something that annoyed me quite a lot. I relied on my power so much that it angered me and made me feel useless when it did no good.

"So, have you decided where you're to study at?"

I pursed my lips, contemplating. I had meant to tell him sooner, but it had escaped me.

"I don't think I will go anywhere this time. I'll probably take some time off and just travel."

"Oh. Well, alright."

There was a slight pause in conversation, in which I could see that his brows had furrowed. He had an ulterior motive; he just did not want to assess it.

"What did you really wish to ask?"

"I didn't want to ask you anything. I just wanted to apologize. I realize I have been a bit of a burden lately; what with the constant pressure for you to date Tanya."

"It's alright. You meant well." I told him, sincerely. Carlisle was dead set on finding me a lover, and although Tanya was lovely and more than willing, I had no romantic feelings towards her whatsoever. She didn't like me romantically, either, but she found me attractive in other aspects; aspects in which I was not at all interested in, at least not with her.

"I also meant well when I changed you, and look where that has gotten us." He muttered, frowning. "I don't regret saving you, not at all," He continued. "I just dislike the fact that you were so young. That you hadn't even experienced… anything, really."

"Carlisle, I'm fine just the way I am. I have no desire for company." Lies. All lies. I had to be dishonest, though. If I weren't, it would only make him feel guilty.

He grinned sadly, seeing right through me. He knew I couldn't mean it. In our world, having a mate means everything. It is simply unexplainable, and irreplaceable. Your mate is that one person that you can tell anything to; do anything with, without feeling as if you are to be judged. Your mate is that one person that will love you for you, and see beyond your physical-perfection. It's told that every vampire created has, or will have, a mate but I've yet to find mine.

Carlisle believes mine is out there, somewhere, but I don't.

I'm just not destined for anybody; people find me too odd, even those of my kind.

So, I have absolutely nobody.

"Carlisle, will you excuse me? I'm off to hunt." I told him.

He nodded, sighing once more.

"Go ahead. I'll just see myself out." He replied. I nodded, standing, and quickly opening the large window in my bedroom. I bent my knees quickly, jumping out of it, and running towards the woods.

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><p><strong>AN: **PS: From this chapter forth, if you review, you get a sneak-peek preview to the next chapter. This applies to all chapters, as of now. So, review my lovelies! :3


	3. Chapter 3:

**A/N:** Thanks so much for all your reviews! You guys seem to really love this story, which makes me ecstatic . :) I know some questions will be sparked after you read this one, so feel free to ask me some in a PM or a review.

So sorry if I didn't reply to all with your teasers! I tried but my internet was fail :( But hey, I got you an early chapter! That should make up for it, right? (:

**Disclaimer(s):** Stephenie Meyer owns Twilight. I own this plot.

**Dedication(s):** This chapter is dedicated to my big sis, for always supporting and accepting my Twilight-obsession.. I love you . . . even though I sometimes feel like strangling you.

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><p><strong>EPOV (Edward's POV)<strong>

As soon as my feet touched the ground, I took off running. The only good thing about this existence: speed.

I was surpassing more than 100 mph, but I could clearly see every single detail that was surrounding me. The trees weren't a blur; nothing was, truly. My eyes were adapted to this body to be able to recognize every small movement, every detail, of everything living and nonliving.

It was sensory overload; the soft crunch of dirt under my feet, the smell of rainwater, the green of the plants- it was something so incredible to me, regardless of the fact that I've had more than a hundred years to accustom myself to it.

Suddenly, as I inhaled, I smelled it; the distinct scent of my favorite meal . . . mountain lion. They were three; I could tell by their heartbeats. My eyes closed involuntarily, and as I inhaled deeper, I could also smell something else. It was a somewhat delicate(?) scent; freesias and strawberries and lilacs. It wasn't a human, for I couldn't hear their thoughts, and the scent was much too sweet to be a human's. I froze; realizing that it was a vampire's scent.

Curiosity and recklessness made me follow the scent, instead of run away from its direction. I hesitantly sniffed around, making sure to be quiet so that the vampire wouldn't hear me and decide to start a fight, until I found myself to be staring at a mountain lion that was resting on the floor of the forest.

Confused, and for some odd reason, disappointed, I dejectedly prepared myself to walk away; the mountain lion no longer held my interest. At that point, all I wanted you to do was go home.

And then, I saw it.

I saw a woman jump from one of the tree branches, till she was beside the mountain lion. In one simple flick of her wrist, she had snapped his neck; quickly killing him. She then leaned down and slowly brought her lips to its jugular, biting quickly. She drank softly, her eyes closed, which caused her long, black lashes to brush lightly against her pale cheek. She had an adorable button nose, and pouty, pink lips. Her hair was black as night and rested about three inches below her waist. When she finished drinking, she carefully removed her lips from the animal's neck, wiped the remaining blood off her lips with back of her hand, and quickly hung her head, eyes still closed, and then she did what I'd never seen a vampire to do.

She prayed.

"Father, thank you for providing me a meal this day. May this innocent creature please rest in peace now and forever." Her voice was sweet; it was like listening to a soft melody. It surprised me how innocent she sounded.

She then stood, and I felt my eyes widen involuntarily. She wore a pair of dirty exercise shorts and a pale grey t-shirt. She was barefoot, and her jet black hair was wavy and knotted.

Her legs were incredibly long. She looked like she was around 5'10". She wiped her hands on her shorts, drawing my attention to her long, milky legs once more. I wondered if they were as soft as they looked; would they feel like silk beneath my fingertips?

_Whoa._

That last thought sent me reeling. Why would I think something like that? Feeling utterly repulsed by my less than gentlemanly ways, I shook my head, and turned, wondering when I had become such a Peeping Tom.

I was about to take off running when I heard a strangled exhale. I turned around and met the frightened eyes of the woman. She was even more beautiful face-to-face, I thought. I noticed that her eyes were an odd orange color. She must be new to this diet, then.

"Hello." I greeted, grinning carefully. She looked afraid; she probably thought I would fight her on her hunt.

She didn't answer.

I took a step forward, to which her breathing increased.

"Please, don't hurt me!" She cried, taking a step back.

I was appalled at her assumption. I would never hurt a woman.

"I won't hurt you. I promise. Are you okay?" I asked, growing more worried by the second. She gulped; wide eyes still afraid. Her breathing had slowed somewhat, which relieved me greatly. Her distress, for some reason, made me very upset.

She slowly shook her head.

"I'm Edward."

"My name is.." She began to say, when suddenly, she paused, frowning. "I-I don't remember." She looked like she wanted to cry.

"That's okay. We'll figure it out. Are you alone?" I asked her.

Her breathing hitched, her eyes growing hesitant once more, but she slowly said, "Yes."

I didn't like the thought of her all alone. It made me frown. I held out a hand for her.

"Come. My family can help you."

She gulped, fear apparent in her features once more, but nevertheless, she took my hand without question, and allowed me to guide her way to my house.

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><p>When we finally reached the house, I was delighted to see that the party was over.<p>

The only voices in my head now were of Carlisle, Esme, Emmett, Rosalie, Jasper, and of course, Alice.

Wait.

Where is she?

I turned my head and saw that she stood right beside me, her head ducked as she allowed me to lead the way. I could sense her apprehension, and it confounded me.

Another thing that confounded me was that I couldn't read her thoughts. I frowned in concentration, trying to get a read on her. It wouldn't budge. It was like she wasn't there at all. Pursing my lips in slight discomfort (I did not like not having the upper-hand; she could be out to get us for all I know), I decided I would talk to Carlisle about it in private. Soon.

As soon as I entered the house, I saw that our family was arranged in a somewhat protective stance. Rosalie was wondering why I had brought her here, Jasper was calculating ways to kill her if she was a threat, Alice was thinking about how horrible her outfit was, and the rest- being Carlisle, Esme, & Emmett- were simply curious.

"Edward, who is your friend?" Esme asked, smiling warmly at the frightened vampire beside me.

I heard Rosalie snort.

"She can't remember her name. She has no coven." I told her.

"She's not any of our business. We don't accept strays." Rosalie sneered, looking down at the beauty beside me.

I narrowed my eyes at her, catching on to her thoughts. Rosalie was very vain; attention meant everything to her. And at the moment, everybody was focused on the beauty. I couldn't help my smug grin when I figured it out. She was jealous.

"What's your name?" Jasper barked out at her.

The beauty (when did I begin calling her that?) shook with what looked like fear. "I-I don't know." She replied shakily. I could feel my entire demeanor soften. I had never seen a vampire look so incredibly vulnerable.

Jasper's thoughts broke through mine.

"_It's probably a trick, Edward. Don't trust her." _

"What are you doing here?" He continued his interrogation, while the rest of us watched in quiet contemplation.

She was just beginning to step out of her fearful little shell, and answering Jasper's question about how long she has been like this, when he suddenly sprinted towards her so fast that I barely saw it, and quickly had her in a headlock.

Her agonizing scream was all that was heard.

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><p><strong>AN:** *Insert the ultra-dramatic music*;) Review & get your sneak-peek to the next chapter. The next update is scheduled for next week. School is out next Wednesday, which is something i'm super pumped about! I wish I'd be able to give you guys an update that day, but I need a few days of rest since I'm ultra-tired & haven't gotten any sleep for a long time (insomnia, remember?). Anyways, I hope you guys enjoyed this chapter, and please do review your thoughts of it and the story so far!


	4. Chapter 4:

**A/N:** Thanks so much for all the love! We got a ton of reviews last chapter, which makes me super happy! Thanks so much! Anyways, this chapter is short.. but the next one is being written as I speak. :) Thanks again for the lovely reviews, and I hope you enjoy this chapter!

**Disclaimer(s):** Stephenie Meyer owns the characters. I own the plot.

**Dedication(s):** This chapter is dedicated to all those amazing reviewers and readers for continuing to support my writing! :) Virtual, Emmett-like hugs are being sent your way.

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><p><strong>EPOV. (Edward's POV)<strong>

"Jasper!" Alice screamed, immediately running to try and get his hands off her. I stopped her for her own safety. The beauty was only out to get us.

"Please! Please! Don't hurt me!" She choked out between screams. Her entire body was shaking in fear. I felt an uneasy feeling settle deep in my stomach as I struggled to stay in place. Why did I feel the need to split my own brother in half? Esme was screaming in the corner; absolutely horrified at the sight of Jasper treating a woman in such a way; especially since she had done nothing in the first place. Carlisle was screaming at Jasper to let her go.

Jasper wouldn't listen.

Emmett was desperately trying to get the beauty out of Jasper's menacing grip, but Jasper wouldn't let go. Emmett didn't want to hurt him, but he was left with no choice. He quickly pushed Jasper's arms out of the way roughly, and punched him straight in the chest. Jasper was sent flying across the living room. He landed on the piano-my piano- which was now clearly broken.

The beauty was on the floor, kneeling, and having a coughing fit. Jasper had gripped her neck really tight; some of her granite skin had cracked.

Her breathing wasn't even; she was gasping wildly, almost as if she was having a panic attack. She opened her mouth to scream, but just then, her eyes rolled in the back of her head, and she fell limp on the floor.

It's now been 5 days since that happened. Everybody is extremely angry at Jasper, especially Alice and Esme. Alice would refuse to even look at him, and Esme would just act as if he wasn't there. It made him feel terribly upset, but it's not like he didn't deserve it.

Beauty still hasn't woken up from what Carlisle thought was some sort of "vampire coma". It sounded ridiculous, but I was going to have to accept his theory. Everybody (except Jasper) was in favor of letting her stay with us until she was better; especially Esme, who felt so incredibly guilty.

She was currently now resting in my bedroom (the only room in the house that did NOT have a bed that is used for ulterior motives), and since she was now in this "vampire-comma", or so Carlisle had said, I decided to talk to the man himself about one of our biggest conflicts: my not being able to read the beauty's thoughts.

I don't know what possessed me to do it, but I slowly stood from my leather couch, walked to my bed, and leaned to press a small kiss on the beauty's forehead. The sensation was unlike anything I'd ever experienced. It felt oddly fulfilling. So, it was with a small smile on my face that I closed the door to my bedroom, and walked towards Carlisle's study.

"Carlisle, may I have a word?" I asked him, knocking on his door politely, before poking my head inside.

He nodded. "Yes, Edward. Come in."

I did as told, and quietly closed the door behind me. I needn't the others to know about this, so I was very lucky that Carlisle decided to use those sound-proof walls in this particular room.

"What's the problem, son?" Carlisle asked as I sat on the seat across from him.

"I can't read bea- I mean.. the new vampire's thoughts." I frowned.

Carlisle's eyebrow rose in surprise, resting his elbows on his desk as he leaned forward in interest.

"Really? Since when?"

"Since the first day."

He looked shocked.

"And you brought her here? Completely unaware id she was plotting to hurt us, or if she wasn't?" He asked, although he already knew the answer.

I couldn't help but hung my head in shame. I had let my attraction for her control me, and I hadn't given a thought to my family's protection.

When I raised my head to apologize to him for my recklessness, Carlisle's expression surprised me. It wasn't one of disappointment or anger.

It was one of amusement.

Confused, I furrowed my brows. I tried to read his mind to see what he found so funny about this particular situation, but he was chanting the Declaration of Independence in his mind. I let out a frustrated sigh.

"What is it?"

"I'm not angry at you, Edward. You put our family at risk, and I know there's only one reason why you, or any other vampire, for that matter, would ever do that." And with that, he suddenly stood, and clapped a hand on my shoulder.

"I must go now. The hospital awaits. If the girl awakes, stay put, and contact me. I'll try to get home as soon as possible, son." He gave me an once-over, chuckled once more, and then he disappeared, leaving me feeling hopelessly confused.

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><p><strong>AN: **So, I have exciting news! If you guys are as psycho about Twilight as I am, and **if you're wondering where you can see breaking dawn for FREE online, head on over to The Twilight Saga~ Edward Cullen Fans Unite! on Facebook (it's a fan-page, obviously lol). They're posting the scenes in order there! **You may have to scroll down a little bit to find the first few, but yeah! :) So, go! Watch it, love it, save it to your computer if you can! But be sure to thank the admins for posting it, afterwards. :)

Parting from that premise, I hope you guys enjoyed the chapter. Leave a review with your thoughts, and you will get a teaser from the next chapter as a little gift. :) Can I get another 10 reviews with this chapter?


	5. Chapter 5:

**A/N: **Sorry for late update! I suddenly got a life (I know, right? It surprised me, too) and I went out on a date *insert blush here*. Anyway, next chapter should be up in a few days, but if it's not, I just want to say "Merry Christmas!" in advance :)

Btw: thanks _SO_ much for all the reviews! We reached 40! :D ahhh! I'm hoping that we can reach 55 or maybe 60 with this chapter (subtle, I am not). PS: Remember that if you review, you get a preview to the next chappie! Anyway.. enjoy! (:

**Warning(s): **This story includes sensitive themes related to rape and abuse. The action of rape itself is not included, but the feelings associated with the act of rape and abuse are very much present. The content is NOT at all graphic. Anybody 13+ should be able to read it without a problem. However, please do read at your own risk.

**Disclaimer(s): **Twilight, it's characters/plot/setting/ect is not mine. This plot is.

**Dedication(s): **This chapter is dedicated to all my awesome readers! (Even to those quiet ones). Thanks so much for R/R my story! I love you guys like crazy :)

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><p><strong>EPOV (Edward's POV)<strong>

I had gone out to hunt late last night, in need of something to quench my thirst, since I had not drunk anything when I went the last time.

I had gone a bit further south, stopping at Oregon. There, I killed off four big bears. I felt incredibly full; thirst didn't even seem possible at this point. How could I ever be thirsty when I feel so sluggish?

I was already beginning my run home. I was about 5 minutes shy from arriving, and I could have gone faster, but I didn't really want to. The peace and quiet was much appreciated; it was rare when the thoughts I worried about were only my own.

Suddenly, as my steps grew quicker and faster, the hum of my family's thoughts began invading my mind once more.

What I heard made me panic.

_Edward! Edward, can you hear me? If you can, I need you to get over here. I just saw that she's about to wake up in a few minutes. _

I took off in a sprint, and arrived home in less than a minute. As soon as I walked through the door, I ran up the stairs to my bedroom. I was relieved to see that she had yet to open her eyes, but it was only a matter of time.

"I think you guys should leave. You could overwhelm her."

The family whispered their agreements and quickly shuffled out of my bedroom. But Emmett stayed behind.

"Edward.. man, do you mind if I…" He trailed off, but his purpose was clear. I could tell that he had grown protective of her from his thoughts.

I sighed. "Sure thing, Emmett."

"What do you think happened to her?" He asked, after a few minutes of comfortable silence.

"She must have been.. abused." Speaking the words made my chest ache; it made it all the more real. No wonder she seemed so afraid of me back in the forest.

_Did Rosie ever act like this?, _He thought.

"Yes. For a very short period of time. She wouldn't talk to anybody.. look at anybody. It was frightening." I replied.

Emmett frowned, thoughts a jumbled mess.

_Do you think…? _

I sighed. "Most likely."

"What's her name?"

It was my turn to frown. "I don't know. She told me she couldn't remember."

"She's not wearing anything that may say her name? Like, what about that necklace she's wearing. That's a locket, right? Maybe we should check if there's something inside. A picture… anything that might help us figure out who she is."

It didn't seem right to search through her belongings, especially not when she was unconscious, but I decided to do it, regardless.

I hesitantly stood up from my bed and walked over to where she lay. I saw a faint silver mark on her neck, and hoped that it was, indeed, a necklace. I quickly touched her neck and gently pulled the small silver strand out.

I was relieved to see that it was, in fact, a necklace. The pendant hanging on the delicate silver chain was in the shape of a medium sized swan. I realized that the pendant could open. I did so, and there was something engraved inside it.

_My Bella. _

Bella… was that her name?

Bella….

Bella.

It suited her.

Why is the pendant a swan, though?

I quickly dropped the necklace, and looked over at Emmett.

"What?" He asked, a nervous edge in his voice. "What'd you find out?"

"Her name, I think. The words "My Bella" are engraved inside it. Maybe that means something."

"Maybe. Or maybe they're just complimenting her. "Bella" does mean beauty, after all."

_She definitely is._ I thought, looking down quickly and staring at her face.

_The hell?.. _Emmett's thoughts hit me like a wrecking ball..

"What?" I asked him, turning once more to look at him. He wore an odd smile on his face.

"What did you just say?"

I furrowed my brow.

"I didn't say anything. What are you talking about?"

"You just said-" He suddenly paused, smile intensifying. "You know what? Never mind. I'm probably imagining things." He said, shaking his head.

I stared at him for a couple of minutes, until I finally just shrugged and accepted his answer. Emmett will be Emmett, I thought to myself, as I walked over to my couch to sit next to him.

Now, all we could do was wait for beauty-I mean… Bella, to wake up.

For some odd reason, aside from the general curiosity, I hoped that she would wake up soon.


	6. Chapter 6:

**A/N: **I knew I said I would update around Christmas day but things kind of got hectic! Sorry! I hope you all had a rocking Christmas, though. Or a great Hanukkah :) Anyways, aside from that, I wanted to wish you all a happy new year! I hope that it's filled with tons of blessings and great things for all of you (:

And remember to start off the year with a kiss at midnight! haha (:

Review & I'll send you an exclusive preview of the next chapter as a prize!

**Warning(s): **This story includes sensitive themes related to rape and abuse. The actions itself are not being presented in the story, but the feelings related to and left as consequence of them, are. I don't present anything overly graphic, but please do read at your own risk. Judging from the fact that I am 14, and writing it, I can honestly say that anybody 13+ should be able to read it w/o any problems. (:

**Disclaimer(s): **Twilight = Not mine. This plot = mine. (:

**Dedication(s): **No dedication for this chapter, but here's to my muse: the song "Fix you" by Coldplay. It's pretty old, but it's really beautiful. You should check it out! :)

* * *

><p><strong>EPOV (Edward's POV)<strong>

My wishes were granted sooner than later.

Just an hour after I had arrived home, Alice had another vision about Bella waking up.

_She should be up in a few minutes. It was already sundown in the vision._

"Thank you, Alice." I told her quietly, from the third floor. Nevertheless, I knew she would hear me.

_I should get Jasper out of here, right? _

"No. Just stay downstairs. In case we need any help with her."

_Edward, he will not manhandle her again. I'm so sorry; I don't know what came over him. I'll try to keep him in control. _

I sighed. "Please do, Alice. And thank you."

"What's the story?" Emmett asked from beside me. From his thoughts, I could tell he was annoyed at me and Alice's silent conversation. Emmett hated to feel left out.

"Alice is going to keep Jasper away from Bella. He'll be close enough to step in and control her emotions just in case." I told him, anxiously looking outside my glass wall. Sundown was approaching.

"Are you sure that's a good idea?" He furrowed his brows, hesitation in his tone. "Like, for him to be near her? What if she gets a panic-attack or something?"

"He won't be near her, technically. He'll just be downstairs. We need him. If worst comes to worst, I'll protect her." I told him, meaning every single word. I would not let Jasper hurt her.

Emmett suddenly smirked. "I know."

I was about to ask him what he meant, but all of a sudden, a startled gasp filled the room. I stopped breathing, and slowly turned around.

I met the eyes of a very frightened Bella.

For a while, we just stood there; not saying anything. Emmett had stopped breathing, and so had I. I was so terrified that she would sprint, and I had no idea why I felt that way.

"H-hello." I murmured quietly to her, hoping to not frighten her. She did not answer, instead looked over at Emmett and gulping. I could practically feel hear fear.

"We won't hurt you." Emmett told her in a warm voice.

"We're so sorry that Jasper acted that way. We haven't a clue what made him react like that." I told her, hesitantly taking a step towards her.

I expected her to run, or maybe even start screaming at me, but she did something that I definitely did not expect.

She leaned over and crushed my torso in the tightest hug known to man-kind.

Or vampires, now that I think about it.

My only reaction was to wrap my arms around her and hold her as her body shook with wild sobs and terrified trembles.

_Shit, man. She's terrified, _Emmett thought.

In my head, I agreed with him. I was shocked by her reaction to me but pleased with it.

Very pleased.

I had absolutely no clue _why_.

After a few minutes (hours?) her grip on my loosened and she let out a soft sigh.

"Are you okay?" I asked her.

She hesitantly nodded. She tilted her head to meet my eyes, her arms still wrapped around my waist. And then, she did another thing that blew me away.

She spoke.

"You won't hurt me…" She murmured in a quiet, soft voice. It seemed like she was trying to convince herself of that fact. When she spoke, it was soft and delicate; her words almost child-like in their innocence.

"I won't." I told her. She cautiously stepped back from me, removing her arms from around my torso, and turned to look at Emmett.

"You won't hurt me, either?"

Emmett shook his head furiously, the movements barely noticeable because of the speed.

"Thank you." She whispered to him, taking a step back from both of us. I wondered If she felt uncomfortable around me, and immediately dismissed the thought; it hurt to think of.

"Don't mention it, squirt." He grinned somewhat sadly at her, before stepping back.

"I'm going to go tell the rest of the family that you awoke and that you're okay." And with that, Emmett disappeared.

I turned to face her, and saw that she was staring blankly at the space where Emmett had just been.

"Whose room is this?"

"Mine." I tried to keep the surprise out of my voice; but I think she still heard it. I couldn't help it though; a strange excitement overcame me, just because she had asked me a question.

What is _wrong _with me?, I thought to myself in frustration. I mean, I had never experienced all these silly emotions before. They were driving me insane. I mean, I felt nervous all the time and I had this strange urge to never let her go when she had hugged me earlier.

It made no sense!

She's just some random, unimportant girl.

.

.

.

Right?


	7. IM BACK! IMPORTANT AN

**Important A/N:**

**Hi, guys! Sorry about that little scare! You were all more than understanding about it, which I thank you for :) Anyway, after giving it a lot of thought, i've decided to continue writing twifics :) **

**HOWEVER, ILA & ISS will been taken down, and Barren will be set on a temporary hiatus! Along with ISS and ILA, a few of my older one shots will also be erased, for further editing. They will be posted once they are done or nearly finished :) Please don't rush me; I want to do things right this time.**

**I have started writing a new story, which is the one that I will be focusing on as of now, titled Adapting. It can be interpreted as a prequel to ILA, with a few minor changes that will terminally alter the newly edited version of It's Later Already. Of course, it's ExB :)**

**Here is the summary:**

**Summary: **When Bella is demanded to move from sunny Phoenix, AZ to quaint Forks, WA, the change is far more than she can handle. Fed up with dislike for the rainy town, she is determined to get through her high school years as quickly as possible. But when she meets a certain soccer-playing hottie in her new school, her views on the small town just might change. E/B. *CAN BE INTERPRETED AS ILA'S PREQUEL. CAN ALSO BE READ ALONE*

I have already posted the first and second chapter to this story! Have a look at it here and tell me what you think of it in a review :)

**Thanks again for all the love/support you guys have given my older stories. I appreciate a LOT and I hope you guys are still around to witness the edited versions of them when they are posted. I love and adore every single one of you! I hope you all get the chance to read and enjoy my new story :)**


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